


In This World

by Akiko_Natsuko



Series: Gratsu [24]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Character Death, Confessions, Death, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, M/M, Promises, Serious Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-08-25 13:43:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16662059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Akiko_Natsuko
Summary: Gray and Natsu had danced around their feelings for years, always waiting, until they realised too late that they had waited too long and their only hope lay in a promise.





	In This World

I love you, in this world and the next, and every world after that.

****

   Their confessions had come too late. Delayed by fear, by a rivalry that had long since disappeared into a deep friendship. And it was only when the battle was over, and Zeref defeated, that the three simple words that had been hanging heavy and unspoken in the air between them finally tiptoed out, but it wasn’t a happy moment or joyous confession. It was whispered words, full of regret and grief and anger. There were tears on Gray’s face as he whispered the words to the Dragon-slayer cradled in his lap, his hands trembling as he tried to wipe away the blood that was trickling from the corner of Natsu’s mouth, aware that it was a futile gesture. That it was too late. That everything was too late. If he had only been quicker, Natsu might have been safe. If he’d only confessed, earlier the Dragon-slayer might’ve fought harder to come back to him.

_It’s too late…_

“I love you. I love you…” He whispered brokenly, again and again as though those three simple words would help chain Natsu to life, but he knew that was a dream. _It’s too late_. There was no way that anyone, not even Natsu could survive the wounds covering the Dragon-slayer’s body and they had no idea where their healers were, but he doubted that even Porlyusica would be able to do anything. It wasn’t supposed to end like this, he thought bitterly as he pulled Natsu closer. He had promised himself that if they won. That if they managed to beat Zeref, and they were both still alive that he would confess to the flame-brained idiot, and they had, but…

_He’s dying. He’s going to leave me behind._

“Natsu…I…” Gray jolted as a shaky hand reached up to brush against his cheek, blinking as he realised that the Fire mage had stirred and was staring up at him with hazy eyes, a soft smile playing on his lips despite the amount of pain he must’ve been in at the moment.

“I know…”

“Idiot,” Gray choked out, lightly tightening his fingers against Natsu’s shoulder to show his disapproval of the other’s smugness, even as warm hope blossomed in his chest as he realised that there was no hint of disgust or rejection in the olive eyes watching his every movement. _Do you feel the same?_

“Not…” Natsu denied weakly, squeezing his eyes shut as he coughed, back arching with pain as he desperately pressed himself against the Ice mage as he struggled to catch his breath. _It hurts_. It hurt more than anything he’d experienced before, and he didn’t need the shadows in Gray’s eyes to tell him that it was bad, that despite the fact they had won. He had lost.

_I’m not surviving this one…_

    Strangely there was no fear or regret with that thought. He didn’t want to die, but at least he had managed to protect Fairy Tail. His friends and family…Gray. If he had to die, at least it was for a reason like that. However, there was one thing he regretted, and as he finally got his breathing back under some semblance of control, he peered up at Gray, the other’s whispered confession echoing in his ear. _We waited too long_ … “I…” He broke off coughing again, desperation flooding him as he grasped the Ice mage’s arms as he tried to catch his breath, tried to summon up strength that he no longer had.

“Don’t push yourself.”

“I…” His breath was catching in his chest, pain radiating through every part of his body and he could taste fresh copper in his mouth. _Damn it, just a little longer, please…._ With a supreme amount of effort, he tugged the Ice mage’s arm, waiting until dark eyes reluctantly met his gaze, taking a shallow breath before forcing the words out. “I…L-love…you,” that had been ridiculously difficult to force out, but the trembling smile that met his words made it worth it, and he inched his hand up until his fingers were resting against the Ice mage’s cheek once more unintentionally leaving a patchwork of bloody fingerprints. “In this…world…and…the next.” It was terribly corny, but he needed to believe it. They had missed their chance this time, waiting far too long to tell each other the truth about how they felt and the only hope he had left to cling to was that they might get another chance.

“It’s a promise…somehow, somewhere I will find you,” Gray’s voice was thick with tears as he leant forward and claimed the Dragon-slayer’s lips, unable to miss the irony that their first kiss was also going to be the last. _Why? Why did we wait?_ He deepened the kiss, hating how weak Natsu’s response was and his vision blurred when he pulled away as he felt, rather than heard the whimper that escaped the Fire Mage. “Next time I won’t wait as long,” he whispered as he rested his forehead against the Dragon-slayer’s, squeezing his eyes shut as he felt the warm breath fan across his skin for a moment, tensing when it wasn’t followed by another. _No_ , his arms tightened around Natsu, silently willing him to take another breath, to hold on a little longer, unable to force the words past the lump that had risen in his throat.

_Natsu, please…_

   He remained like that until he heard voices in the distance, well aware that their friends must be looking for them and fresh tears escaped at the thought of having to see their grief as well or having to tell them that he had lost Natsu.

 _I lost him_ …

    Slowly he forced himself to sit up, a hiccupping sob escaping as his eyes crept open and he was confronted with the sight of Natsu’s still features, his heart breaking as he took in the peaceful expression on the Dragon-slayer’s face despite the drying tear tracks on his pale cheeks. _How can you look like that?_ He wondered as he reached out to cup the Fire mage’s cheek, fingers trembling as he brushed away the lingering tears even as his own tears continued to trickle down his cheeks. _I waited too long_. The voices were getting closer now, and he fought the urge to scream at them to go away. Instead, he lent forward, pressing a chaste kiss to Natsu’s forehead.

“I promise, I will find you again.”


End file.
